An image of a chest cavity taken from the GE Revolution CT scanner.
GE Healthcare

Images captured by a new type of CT scanner are something to behold.

GE's Revolution CT creates immensely detailed images of the beating heart and other organs, including bones, that could replace a barrage of tests previously required for a diagnosis.

It can, for example, capture very accurate 4D images to help doctors visualize vascular flow and organ motion. The device can also take incredibly high-resolution images of blood vessels, soft tissue, organs and bones, while reducing radiation levels by as much as 82 percent. And it uses technology akin to a camera's image stabilizer to correct for patient movements during a scan, which helps doctors get a good look at organs that are otherwise difficult to capture on film.

Related Links

Since the Revolution CT can capture full images much more quickly than traditional scanners -- it takes just 1 second to complete an image of the entire pelvis and abdomen, for instance -- patients spend less time in the scanner struggling to hold their breath and to keep still long enough to capture a decent image.

Originally announced in 2013, GE's Revolution CT scanner has been in patient trials at Florida's West Kendall Baptist Hospital since early 2014, and the hospital decided to purchase the device to use on its patients in September.

"The advanced design definitely makes for a less intimidating, more comfortable patient experience, while yielding amazingly accurate and detailed images," West Kendall Baptist Hospital CEO Javier Hernández-Lichtl said in a statement.

The machine was created by GE Healthcare and GE Global Research scientists and engineers, who worked with practicing physicians during the development process.

The company released several images taken from the Revolution CT in its GE Reports online magazine last week. We've posted a few of those here, but be sure to head to GE's page to see all the images that show just how marvelous and weird the human body is.

The beating human heart as captured by the GE Revolution CT scanner.
GE Healthcare
A GIF of a foot reinforced with plates and screws, taken by the GE Revolution CT scanner.
GE Healthcare
And, a super-awesome GIF from inside a skull taken with the Revolution CT scanner.
GE Healthcare